Game apparatus



B. SCHULZ May 13 1924.

GAME APPARATU 5' Filed Oct. 24

1921 3 Shoets-Sheet 1 m 5 M 3 fl E. K M m w M q, B W a May 13 1924.

B. SCHULZ GAME APPARATUS Fild Oct. 24. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ummy 1 A 1m Ill h v B. SCHULZ May 13 1924.

GAME APPARATUS Filed octfz. 1.92: 3 Shaets-Sheei a allll 4 a Patented May 13, 1924.

STATES BERNARD SCHULZ, 015 ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NEW JERSEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed. October 24, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD SoHULz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlantic Highlands, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel game apparatus of the ball-rolling type which will afford amusement.

Another object is to so make said apparatus that it will be attractive in appearance and of a durable construction.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus made in accordance with my in vention, I

Figure 2 is a view of said apparatus looking from the front,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top paln view of a portion of said apparatus drawn on a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2,

Figure d is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 and drawn on an enlarged scale,

Figure 6 is a view of the same general character as that shown in Figure 5 illustrating certain of the parts having been moved to simultaneously start the rolling of the balls down the runway,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the finishing end of the runway illustrating the winning ball in a position ready to actuate a detent gate, a

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view; the section being taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan View of certain of the parts shown in Figure 7 illustrating the winning ball moving the ate, g Figure 10 is a View of generally similar character to that shown in Figure 9 illustrating the gate having been swung into a position to release a trap door so that the following balls will drop through a hole into the receptacle and will not pass the gate,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary section show- Serial No. 509,815.

ing the winning ball before it passes the volutionsycertain of the convolutions being located so as to pass under others of the convolutions. This runway at portions within its length, beginning at the upper or starting part 12, inclines upwardly and slants downwardly so that balls placed upon the part 12 will roll on the runway down inclined portions and due to their inertia will also run up inclined portions prior to reaching the lower end of the runway. By thus arranging the runway the balls can be made to run over a comparatively great length of the runway and yet the device will occupy a small space. The runway has side flanges 13 which-project upwardly and I have illustrated the runway supported at various points within its length by standards 15; said standards forming a supporting structure so that the device may be set upon any form of base or platform.

In front of the part 12 of the runway 1 position a frame 16 providing a transversely extending window 17 which is preferably glazed with clear glass 18 as shown in Figures 1, 2, 4c, 5 and 6. Between the part 12 of the runway and the rear face of the frame there is a space or opening 19 in which is positioned a ball-starting member 20. This member 20 as illustrated is in the form of a transversely extending board or strip having a transversely extending rib 21 between the part 12 of the runway and the rear part of the frame 16. The balls 22 prior to being started down the runway rest on the member 20 in a straight row transversely of the length of the starting part 12 of the runway in a position between the rib 21 and the rear portion of the frame. The halls when in this position can be readily seen through the window and the balls may be of various colors or have mar ings of different kinds thereon.

The starting member 20 is pivotally mounted at 23 preferably at its opposite ends as shown in Figure 3; the axis of the pivotal mounting being preferably positioned to one side of the center of the width of the member 20 as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6. An actuating lever 24- is positioned centrally between the opposite ends of the starting member 20 and normally depends to a position below the frame 16 so that the person operating the apparatus can insert his hand under the frame and by pulling on the lever 24 can swing the mem ber 20 into the position shown in Figure 6. During this action, the balls will be pushed in a straight row upon the part 12 of the runway and the rib 21 will engage the front end of the part 12 of the runway as shown in Figure 6; thereby forming a positive stop so that all of the balls will start rolling and will have an approximately equal force operating thereon.

The runway adjacent its lower end has a detent gate 25 which is pivoted at 26 so as to swing in an approximately horizontal plane or in other words approximately parallel with the bottom surface 27 of the runway. A cavity 28 is formed at one side of the runway adjacent the gate and the gate has two wings or arms 29 and 30 which are angularly disposed.

Before the balls are started down the runway, the gate is moved into the position shown in Figures 1, '4' and 8 with the arm 29 extending transversely of the runway and when in this position it will be noted that the space between the end 31 of the arm 29 and the opposite side surface 32 of the runway is less than thediameter of the balls so that in passing down the run-- way the leading ball will strike the arm 29 and swing the gate and at the same time the leading ball can pass the gate such for example as shown in Figure 9. This action of the leading ball on the gate will swing the arm 29 into abutment with the side 33 of the runway and the arm 30 will be moved into a transverse position so asto serve as a bar or stop to prevent any other ball from passing the gate. The arm 29 of the gate has an upwardly extending projection 35 which forms a handle to facilitate the swinging of the gate back into its normal position.

The cavity. 28 is preferably covered by. a top plate 36 and in the present instance this top plate 36 has a lip 37 which forms a bearing forthe pivot 26 of the gate. Thus it is an easy matter to attach the gate. The lower portion of the pivot 26 may extend into the bottom of the trough or raceway as shown in Figure 8 and a spacing washer 39 can be positioned between the bottom of the gate and the bottom 27 of the runway so as to prevent the gate from dragging over the bottom of the runway.

The runway has a section 43 which provides a trap door hinged at 44; this trap door being immediately in front of the gate 25. This gate is normally held in its raised position by an extension 45 on the arm 29 of the gate; said extension forming a latch for engaging under the free end 46 of the trap door 43. A drawer 34 is slidably mounted under the runway; a portion of the drawer extending under the trap door 43 and another portion extending under the opening 47 provided at the end of the runway. If desired the drawer can be divided into two compartments 48 and 49 by a partition 50; said compartment 49 being located under the opening 47 to receive the winning ball after it drops over the end of the runway.

The first ball to reach the gate is the winning ball and this ball will move the gate so as to withdraw the latch extension 45 from under the trap door 43 and the trap door will fall so that the following balls will roll or drop into the compartment 48 of the drawer 34. The door can then be moved and the trap door can be raised and when the gate is swung into its normal position the extension 45 will again act to hold the trap door in its raised position. It will be noted that when the winning ballswings the gate that the arm 30 as shown in Figure 10 will be moved into a position transversely of the runway and it is therefore impossible for any other ball to pass the gate even though any of the balls should jump across the opening above the trap door.

To again rearrange the balls on the starting member 20, it is merely necessary to dump the balls from the receptacle 34 into a hopper 40 which is arranged at one end of the frame 16; said hopper having an inclined bottom. The end 41 of the frame 16 has an aperture 42 so that the balls from the hopper will roll through the aperture 42 upon the starting member 20 and will again arrange themselves in a row on the starting member 20 to the rear of the window 17.

By arranging the lever 24 at a slant to the member 20 the latter can be readily operated and when the lever is released the member 20 will return automatically to its normal position as shown in Figure 5. Furthermore by arranging the starting lever centrally within the length of the member 20 the power can be applied centrally so that in starting, all of the balls will have an equal chance of winning. The character of the runway relatively to the balls is such however that certain of the balls will roll in front of others so that at the end one of the balls will pass first through the gate.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth,

but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Game apparatus including an inclined runway having convolutions extending one below the other and side-walls spaced to receive a plurality of balls arranged in a row transversely of the runway; means for simultaneously starting the balls down the runway; a trap door in the runway, and means connected with the trap door and operative by the winning ball to release the trap door whereby the following'balls will drop therethrough.

2. Game apparatus including an inclined runway having convolutions extending one below the other and side-walls spaced to receive a plurality of balls arranged in a row transversely of the runway; means for simultaneously starting the balls down the runway; a trap door in the runway, and a gate connected with the trap door and normally holding the door in closed position, the gate being movable by the winning ball to release the door whereby the following balls will drop therethrough.

3. Game apparatus including an inclined runway having convolutions one below the other and side walls spaced to receive a plurality of balls arranged in a row transversely of the runway, a pivotally mounted starting device extending across the upper end of the runway, a ledge extending lengthwise of the starting device normally holding the balls against forward movement, a hopper disposed at one end of the starting device and adapted to deliver the balls in a row upon the starting device, and means for actuating the starting device to project the balls into the runway.

4. Apparatus of the character described including a runway for a number of balls, said runway including a trap door within its length; and means connected with the trap door and operative by the winning ball to release said trap door whereby the following balls will drop at the trap door; substantially as described.

5. Apparatus of the character described including a runway for a number of balls, said runway including a trap door within its length; and a gate having a portion connected therewith for normally holding the trap door in a raised position, said gate being movable by the Winning ball to move said gate and thereby release the trap door; substantially as described.

6. Apparatus of the character described including a runway for a number of balls and having an opening normally closed by a trap door; a receptacle under said opening and having a portion under the end of said runway; and means operative by the winning ball to release said trap door whereby the following balls will drop through said opening into the receptacle and the winning ball will pass over the end of the runway and drop into said receptacle; substantially as described.

7. Apparatus of the character described including a runway for a number of balls and having anopening normally closed by a trap door; a receptacle under said opening and having a portion under the end of said runway; and means operative by the winning ball to release said trap door whereby the following balls will drop through said opening into the receptacle and the winning ball will pass over the end of the runway and drop into said receptacle, said receptacle being divided into compartments whereby the winning ball will pass into one compartment and the other balls will pass into another compartment; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD SCHULZ.

Witnesses:

HERBERT W. Pos'rnN, J. B. SWAN, Jr. 

